Stock Avalanche Springs vs Z71 springs

[The Rock Crawler]

Hi, I am looking for a stiffer ride but I drive alot in the city and dont want a very stiff ride when going over horrible michigan roads, I was thinking that the Z71's would be too stiff for city driving? So, I was looking on Rockauto and found some 2010 heavy Duty rear avalanche springs (Moog replacement) For $55. i think That these springs will accomodate my 3 inch Suspension lift very well. Any thoughts?

[fishsticks]

Get the spring rate and free length and compare them to the proven Z71 spring. Then you'll know.

[The Rock Crawler]

Yes, Rockauto hung up on me when they couldnt find the spring rate because they had to look into moogs paper catalog. Wish moog was open on the weekends. Thanks

[navigator]

the standard Tahoe/Avalanche springs we use are a little stiff, too stiff for some.
I would expect the HD ones to be even stiffer else they wouldn't be HD.

[The Rock Crawler]

Hmmmm... I Think I am going to stick with stock springs, With some procomp shocks. If it gets to soft I will be getting the standard tahoe/Avalanche springs, Thank you for the input..

[The Roadie]

..Any thoughts?...

I think your mission should more closely reflect your user name, in which case you should embrace the highest spring rate springs possible.

Only you know how much stuff you carry around, and then realize that "stiffness" is a large function of load, ride height, shocks, tire pressure, and tire sidewall flexibility. You can also add Airlift1000 bags inside the springs to fine tune them.

Don't obsess about picking the perfect springs first time. You're allowed to miss and try again. I did that .... a LOT. Learned something every time.

[fishsticks]

..Any thoughts?...

I think your mission should more closely reflect your user name, in which case you should embrace the highest spring rate springs possible.

Or at least look into longer springs...

[v7guy]

it would be impossible to know without the spring rate and free length.

For a data point though. I have the Z71 springs and drive on some of the worst roads I've seen in my life up here and while they are stiff I don't really mind. When I'm hauling around a decent load they get a lot more compliant.

Unfortunately the answer to a lot of this stuff is "it depends". What is comfortable to you and what is your purpose? Only experience is going to answer that.

[The Rock Crawler]

My intent more than anything is to maintain a nice ride without loud clucks and whatnot over Potholes but have a nice stiff rear end, i tow ALOT... and go through alot of snow... What do you think would better suite my needs? The Z71's cannot be that stiff to where I will feel evry little crack will they?

[Trail X]

Not at all, mine are smooth.

They are progressive rate, so they actually "match" the ride better as you add more weight, like when you tow.

As has been said before, if you tow or carry a lot of weight, these are a no brainer. The only people that may have a reasonable discussion over the harshness of these springs are the mall cruisers.

[The Roadie]

.... What do you think would better suite my needs? The Z71's cannot be that stiff to where I will feel evry little crack will they?

Did you read my last post at all, or read it and not believe it?

WE CANNOT TELL YOU.

If you have an offroad mission, you take the ride you get from the parts you install to accomplish it. If you have a need for a "nice ride" that may preclude you from full capability offroad. You're in a situation that most of us are NOT IN. We don't CARE what the pothole ride is like if we obtain the ground clearance necessary to not be ripping our gas tanks off on boulders.

We don't have the specs on the Moog springs. Just buy them and then post up.

One of our dirty little secrets though is that the Tahoe and Avalanche Z71 option kit (for normal height trucks) doesn't change the OEM spring part number. The springs we buy from takeoffs are "Z71" springs in the strict sense of the term, but they are the same as stock Tahoe/Avalanche springs, at least for 2007+. Shhh, don't tell anybody.

[fishsticks]

This has to be my least favorite thread on ORTB...

Congratulations.

[The Roadie]

I'm considering adding the word "harsh" to the dirty word filter. "Stiff" is a close second but there are some legitimate uses of the word. "Stiff" and "harsh" in the same post could be the trigger for an auto-ban.

[OregTrailBlazin]

WoOh There is two threads on this "stiff but not TOO stiff" crap!.. The confusion is like a virus Though it seems to be stemming from one source

I'm not much into deleting threads, but I can tell you from experience, these kind end up confusing the newbs even more causing them to ask even more newbish questions... It can even confuse the non-newbish members

you guys are confusing me., from what I read I thought the consensus seems to be the Z71's suck without weight??

[djthumper]

Wait we are suppose to read what Bill writes? LOL

[v7guy]

Get the springs and try em. If they're too stiff for your liking swap em out to the stock ones. Takes 20 minutes. The odds are somebody here will buy the Z71s. None of the consequences of this course of action are overly harsh or permanent. Sometimes the only way to find out is to spend some money.

If this is too much work or money, run far away from lifting the truck.

[The Rock Crawler]

Thank you. I appolgize for the confusion and realize that I am not going to get what I want so whoever doesnt like the ride can eat it. Thanks alot for your help Roadie, Fishsticks, and Evrybody else. Thanks
Looks like the Z71's are worth the price. Thank you!

[The Roadie]

Sometimes the only way to find out is to spend some money.

As an early or first adopter of almost everything, I've got over $2500 worth of stuff I no longer use and have only sold or recycled a part of it.

If this is too much work or money, run far away from lifting the truck.

Exactly. As my favorite local beer company puts on their delivery trucks:

[soldier32mp]

After reading this thread I can't help but to ask some of these TB professors were are there IPC skills?? Some act like everyone is a brainyact on offroading and that there is no crawl phase in this hobby ....I'm sure I'll get a email from some founder on the site ..good grief

[Conner299]

I think the frustration stems from the fact that the "newbs" don't want to do their own due diligence. Mostly all the questions that have been asked, of late, have already been answered, in way or another. I like the old addage of "two ears, one mouth". The same kind of applies here with "two eyes, one mouth". If one were to do twice as much reading on this site, as compared to asking questions, they could probablly learn a lot more, than by asking the questions. I'm sure I have asked my share. But I pride myself, on the fact that i go back and try to read, at least, a couple of old threads everyday.